


Cultural Differences

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-13
Updated: 2006-03-13
Packaged: 2018-08-16 04:44:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8087803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: Why you shouldn't sleep with a Vulcan. (07/27/2003)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

You're in love with her and it's stupid because you know she's never going to feel the same way. Because she never seems to feel anything, apart from impatience with you and even that's just you being paranoid because you take everything she says and does so personally. She'd say it's "illogical".

She doesn't get it. She doesn't get how much you crave her approval, how much you love working with her even though half the time you're so stressed out because you want to do everything right for her so that she'll praise you and think highly of you. How much you love being near her, the way your heartbeat quickens just a little when her body is so close to yours that you're almost touching.

She has no idea that she's the object of your desire, or maybe she does, but she's choosing to ignore it because it's not relevant, because maybe she has no idea how powerful emotions can be. How they're what fuel you, keep you going, whether good or bad.

She doesn't understand that her aloofness is why half the ship has fantasised about her at one time or another. Well, that and how her uniform clings to her. The captain's got a thing for her, and you can remember Trip and Malcolm discussing her...assets...at some point. And now you've been added to the list of people who dream about her every night, who want to take that beautiful face in your hands and kiss her softly, and take her back to your quarters and touch her and love her.

You wonder how she'd react if you kissed her, and -

"T'Pol to Ensign Sato."

"Sato here."

"I require your assistance with a translation. Is now a good time?"

And you're off duty but of course you're already on your way, because it's her.  
She holds out a PADD and explains that it's a document written in Andorian. "The computer couldn't translate a few of the phrases. I was hoping you could help."

"Sure," you say, and you get to work and it's sorted out in no time because you're working extra-hard to impress her and then she'll thank you, and you'll be walking on air.

And before you hand the PADD back to her, you double-check it, and you realise that you are right, because it wasn't a difficult task and you realise that the computer should have been able to do it automatically without you playing around with it and trying variations and using your instinctive linguistic ability.

She takes it, and you think she knows that she's been caught out. Only one way to find out, so you lean in, and you kiss her, feeling her initial shock and stiffness giving way to compliance and reciprocating the kiss.

You're in love with her and maybe she knows and maybe she doesn't, but for the moment it doesn't matter, nothing matters, only this, being pressed up against her with your tongue in her mouth and her fingers slipping underneath the confines of the uniform, and it's everything you ever dreamed of and more.

You're in her quarters and you're clinging to her and she looks perfectly composed, dry as a bone while you're hot and sweating, but you don't hold it against her because what she's doing to you with her tongue is so - oh yes - good. Does she do this often? you wonder.

And it's over all too soon and she's pulling on her clothes and what just happened? You haven't even gotten a chance to touch her, not really, but she's all business-like and "Good night, Ensign."

You're hurt and confused and even though there's still such a big part of you that is reluctant to show emotions in front of her for fear of being thought weak, you have to ask.

"What just happened?"

She looks confused for a moment. "I thought that was what you wanted. I'm aware that you think of me in a sexual way, Ensign, and it was interfering with your productivity. I wanted to - help you. I'm sorry if it wasn't what you wanted. ."

And she still looks confused as the tears fall, because you can't help it, and you've just been given everything you ever wanted only to have it ripped away from you again, and it hurts, it hurts so much and she's never going to understand, is she?

"Get out," you choke.

"These are my quarters, Ensign."

"Get out!" you yell, and she actually does what you say and leaves, which is probably the most sensible thing she's done all day. And you're lying on the bed, naked, trembling, alone, and the most twisted thing about it all is that you still want her.


End file.
